Peach Pyramid's promotional materials note that Repeating Myself is inspired by "themes of abuse and healing," but listening to the 10 songs that make up Victoria songwriter Jen Severtson's latest record, the mood is one of pure, serene calm. The arrangements are led by sweetly chiming guitars and shimmering synths — created with producer Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, Black Mountain) and collaborator Kathryn Calder (New Pornographers) — and Severtson's soft coo often blends into the sonic tapestry seamlessly. As such, the lyrics rarely stand out, but the album is exceptionally pretty throughout regardless.
Peppered throughout the track list is a smattering of moments that suggest another side to Severtson's delicate musical style. The moody drama of the six-minute of "My Collapse" recalls late '90s Radiohead (okay, it also sounds a bit like early '00s Coldplay), the title cut features some impressively belted notes in the final chorus and "Polarized" picks up the tempo with its peppy surf beat. Even though these moments of relative exuberance don't come quite often enough, the low-key atmosphere makes Repeating Myself very pleasant in its autumnal calm.
(Oscar St. Records)Peppered throughout the track list is a smattering of moments that suggest another side to Severtson's delicate musical style. The moody drama of the six-minute of "My Collapse" recalls late '90s Radiohead (okay, it also sounds a bit like early '00s Coldplay), the title cut features some impressively belted notes in the final chorus and "Polarized" picks up the tempo with its peppy surf beat. Even though these moments of relative exuberance don't come quite often enough, the low-key atmosphere makes Repeating Myself very pleasant in its autumnal calm.